Bangladesh, US discuss expanding Fulbright scholarships

Dhaka: Bangladesh and the United States have discussed increasing the number of Fulbright scholarships for Bangladeshi students and expanding cooperation in education and skills development.

The issue was discussed at a meeting between Prime Minister’s Adviser and Office Spokesperson Mahdi Amin and a US Embassy delegation led by Chargé d’Affaires Eric Geelan at the Prime Minister’s Office on October 4, according to a press release.

Public Diplomacy Officer Scott Hartman and Sitaram Sirin of the US Embassy also attended the meeting.

The two sides discussed ways to increase Fulbright scholarship opportunities for Bangladeshi students each year, with particular emphasis on creating more opportunities for government officials.

They also explored potential US support for teacher training, student and teacher exchange programs, language education, and skills development in Bangladesh.

The meeting discussed scholarship opportunities for Bangladeshi students to conduct research aimed at addressing local challenges in areas such as health, agriculture, urbanization, industry, education, infrastructure, and technology.

The sides also discussed improving the overall quality of education, strengthening institutional communication between Bangladesh and the US, and engaging Bangladeshi students studying in the United States and Fulbright alumni more closely in the country's development activities.